Main Content

[11Makeup-Days]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

Many school districts have a tough assignment ahead of them.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Montgomery Co.;]

Across the region, they're trying to figure out how to deal with lost time due to snow days.
Montgomery County Schools have already missed nine days and more rural places like Grayson County are going on 13 days.
Teachers say the missed days don't just disrupt class, they also stress out the students.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:2:34:44:00 ]
[IN Q=It's also]
((CRYSTAL FENTRESS:IT'S ALSO STRESSFUL TO THEM BECAUSE YOU'RE PUSHING THEM FINISH THIS. IT'S HARD TO SAY TAKE YOUR TIME WITH YOUR HANDWRITING WHEN YOU REALLY JUST KNOW THAT YOU NEED TO SPEND 15 MINUTES ON THIS ACTIVITY TO MOVE ON SO YOU CAN MAKE UP WHAT YOU'VE MISSED.))
[SUPER=01-Crystal Fentress/Christiansburg Primary School Teacher]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=you've missed.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Each school system handles makeup days differently.
Parents will likely get a letter explaining any calender changes.
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[11Roanoke-Schools]

Not enough people signed on the dotted line.
A second attempt to get an elected school board in Roanoke has failed.
(--------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Last Month]

The Roanoke Education Association has been trying to put a referendum on the May ballot that if passed would allow voters to directly elect school board members.
The group needed nearly five thousand signatures, but collected just two thousand.
Yesterday, was the deadline to turn in those signatures.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=None]

It's a different story in Danville, where supporters needed about 28-hundred signatures.
They collected more than 37-hundred.
A judge must now certifiy those signatures before school board candidates will officially be put on the May 4th ballot.

[Bush-Iraq]

This week, President Bush reversed decisions on two critical commissions-- one investigating the 9-11 attacks and another that will look into intelligence failures that led to the war in Iraq.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Washington, DC;]

Bush now wants Congress to extend the deadline for the 9-11 commission until the end of July.
Previously, White House aides had worried that any delay might mean a damaging report too close to the President's re- election campaign.
Meanwhile, Bush's decision to create the commission to examine intelligence failures follows former chief weapons inspector David Kay's findings that Iraq did NOT have weapons of mass destruction.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=Intelligence will never]
((DONALD RUMSFELD/U. S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: INTELLIGENCE WILL NEVER BE PERFECT. WE DO NOT, WILL NOT AND CANNOT KNOW EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD. ))
[SUPER=01-Donald Rumsfeld/U. S. Secretary of Defense;]
[RUNS=:06]
[OUT Q=in the world.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Rumsfeld adds the administration did NOT manipulate intelligence to justify the war.
He suggested that weapons may still be found.
(------------)

[11Edwards]

Democratic Presidential candidate John Edwards will be in Roanoke tonight.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]
At Edwards' campaign headquarters in Roanoke the mood is upbeat.
Volunteers are calling voters to let them know Edwards is coming to the area.
Commercials for the Senator began airing in the Commonwealth yesterday, and after winning the South Carolina primary and finishing a close second in Oklahoma the Edwards camp feel like it's a two man race.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT@2:15:27]
[IN Q=His campaign..]
((ZACK WINEBURG/EDWARDS CAMPAIGN REPRESENTATIVE; HIS CAMPAIGN ABOUT LIFTING PEOPLE UP, HE HAS A POSITIVE MESSAGE, AN OPTIMISTIC VISION - HE'S ABOUT STRENGTHENING OUR MIDDLE CLASS -HE HAS A PLAN HE'S WRITTEN DOWN CALLED REAL SOLUTIONS FOR AMERICA.))
[SUPER=01-Zack Wineburg/Edwards Campaign Representative]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=solutions for America.]
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=Edwards]
Edwards will hold a rally tonight at 7 o-clock at Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke.
He also has appearances scheduled at Virginia Tech and at George Wythe High school in Wytheville tomorrow morning.
[SS=Clark]
Wesley Clark will stop in Roanoke and Lynchburg tomorrow, though he's focusing more on Tuesday's primary in Tennessee.

[AM-Discount-Cards]

Many of us use discount cards to get extra savings at the grocery store.
The cards often contain our personal information and a chain in Washington recently used it to warn customers of potentially contaminated meat.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/File Tape;]

Locally, Kroger says it did the same thing a few years back for a beef recall but decided against doing it for last week's recall of Roast Beef.
A company spokesperson says it only does it on rare occasions and some customers we talked to say they're o-k with that.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 15:01:37; 15:20:54; 14:49:08]
[IN Q=It could save my life]
((JOHN SCHULTZ: IT COULD SAVE MY LIFE AND THAT IS WHY I WOULD WANT KROGER TO NOTIFY ME OF THAT.))
((JENNIFER MULLINS: I WOULD DEFINETELY WANT THEM TO CALL AND NOTIFY ME. I HAVE A 21 MONTH OLD SON THAT I WOULDN'T TO GET SICK.))
((SHIRLEY WITT: I WOULD BE MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE KNOWING THAT WAS THEIR POLICY.))
[SUPER=07-John Schultz; :00 (QUICK)]
[SUPER=07-Jennifer Mullins; :05]
[SUPER=07-Shirley Witt; :11 (QUICK)]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=that was their policy]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

When you use the cards it gives the store a detailed record of all the items you purchased along with your name, address, and phone number.
But some say if that information is used to contact you about a recall, it's an invasion of privacy.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 15:24:02; 15:15:45; 15:11:28]
[IN Q=If they're calling]
((NEELAM GOSWAMI: IF THEY'RE CALLING EVERYBODY THAT MEANS THEY ARE KEEPING TRACK OF EVERYBODY'S CREDIT AND RECORD OF EVERYTHING THEY BUY.))
((PAIGE STUHR: I WOULDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT BUT THAT IS JUST ME. I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME PEOPLE WOULD BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.))
((BETH SIMMONS: I'M NOT TOO WORRIED ABOUT THEM KNOWING WHAT FOODS I BUY. I AM SURE THEY DO THAT FOR CONSUMER REASONS TO FIGURE OUT WHICH COUPONS THEY ARE GOING TO PUSH AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THAT DOESN'T REALLY BOTHER ME.))
[SUPER=07-Neelam Coswami; :00]
[SUPER=07-Paige Stuhr; :08]
[SUPER=07-Beth Simmons; :13]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=REALLY BOTHER ME]
(----------)
[VO-NAT]

Many stores do in fact send you coupons based on the items you've purchased, but as Kroger points out, you can request not to receive them.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=none]

The company also says it never sells or shares your personal information with a third party.

[Marketwatch]

In business news, It was a day of losses on Wall Street.
And Salma Hayek teams up with Avon.
Alexis Christoforous has those stories and more in this morning's Marketwatch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Alexis Christoforous/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:28]
[OUT Q=in New York, I'm AC]
((
> TECH STOCKS WILL TRY TO PICK UP THE PIECES AFTER YESTERDAY'S SELLOFF WHICH
> PUSHED THE NASDAQ TO ITS LOWEST LEVEL IN MORE THAN A MONTH.
>
> THE DOW LOST 34
>
> BUT THE NASDAQ TANKED 52 POINTS
>
> TECHNOLOGY powerhouse Cisco Systems SPARKED THE SELLOFF AFTER SAYING its
> customers remained cautious about business spending.
>
> SHARES OF MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA LOST MORE GROUND.. THAT'S AFTER
> THE GOVERNMENT'S STAR WITNESS, FORMER MERRILL LYNCH BROKER DOUGLAS FANUEIL
> TOLD A JUROT that Martha Stewart told him to sell her ImClone stock after
> he advised her that the company founder was dumping his own shares
>
> ON THE STOCKS TOW WATCH LIST:
>
> PIXAR - PROFIT AND REVENUE AT THE ANIMATED MOVIE STUDIEO more than
> tripled. PIXAR CONTIUES to reap rewards from sales related to its hit
> animated movie "Finding Nemo." JUST LAST WEEK, PIXAR SAID IT WOULD NOT
> RENEW ITS FILMMAKING AGREEMENT WITH WALT DISNEY AND LOOK FOR A PARTNERSHIP
> WITH ANOTHER STUDIO.
>
> MORE FRAUD IN THE MUTUAL FUND INDUSTRY.. FRANKLIN RESOURCES WAS CHARGED
> with fraud by Massachusetts securities regulators for its role in allowing
> improper trading in the company's mutual funds.
>
> AND PUT AVON ON YOUR STOCKS TO WATCH LIST..ACTRESS SALMAY HAYEK HAS INKED
> A DEAL TO BECOME SPOKESPERSON FOR THE THE FRAGRANCE AND COSMETICS GIANT.
>
> TRACK ALL THE MARKET ACTION AT CBS.MW.COM IN NY I'M ALEXIS CHRISTOFOROUS.))
>
>
(tape tosses to stocks)
[STOCKS]
[WOOD ROGERS SPONSOR BOARD 5185 ESSC]
[COMM]

[Tax-Proposal]

Governor Mark Warner's wide-ranging tax reform proposal was killed in the House Finance Committee.
The panel voted yesterday largely along partisan lines.
Warner's proposal sought to cut some taxes and increase others to raise about one billion dollars in additional revenue that he maintains is necessary to prevent a shortfall.
The vote now sets up a likely showdown between Republicans in the House and Senate.
In addition, the Republican majority on the committee killed more than 30 other proposals to increase the state's sales,
gasoline and cigarette taxes.

Stewart is accused of lying about her timely sale of Imclone stocks.
Douglas Faneuil was Stewart's broker's assistant.
On Wednesday, Fanueil testified that Stewart told him to sell her stock after he gave her inside information that the founder of Imclone was getting rid of his own shares.
Faneuil said Stewart's broker then pressured him to cover up the sale.
(------------)

[11Bank-Robberies]

Roanoke police now believe two robberies at the Wachovia Bank on Grandin Road are related.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

These are surveillance photos of the suspect from the January 21st robbery and yesterday's foiled heist.
[SUPER=03-Roanoke/Tuesday]

Bystanders grabbed Van Martin, Junior as he left the bank Tuesday.
Police have already charged him with that incident, and say charges are pending against him for the January 21st robbery.
(------------)

[Biz-Brief]

In business news, the Nasdaq fell more than 50 points yesterday.
The Dow also lost ground.
Stan Case has more in today's business brief.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Stan Case/Reporting; :]
[RUNS=1:13]
[OUT Q=I'm Stan Case.]

((THE MAJOR AVERAGES CLOSED IN THE RED ON WEDNESDAY.

THE DOW LOST 34-POINTS...
AND THE NASDAQ WAS DOWN 52.

GROWTH IN THE SERVICE SECTOR OF THE U-S ECONOMY ACCELERATED IN JANUARY.
THE INSTITUTE FOR SUPPLY MANAGEMENT SAID ITS INDEX OF NON-MANUFACTURING ACTIVITY CAME IN AT 65-POINT-SEVEN FOR THE MONTH.
THAT'S UP FROM A REVISED READING OF 58 IN DECEMBER.
ANY READING HIGHER THAN 50 INDICATES GROWTH IN THE SECTOR.
JANUARY'S READING WAS THE HIGHEST FOR THE INDEX SINCE THE I-S-M STARTED TRACKING IT IN 1997.

SHARES OF CISCO SYSTEMS TUMBLED MORE THAN EIGHT PERCENT A DAY AFTER THE COMPANY REPORTED EARNINGS FOR ITS FISCAL SECOND QUARTER.
CISCO POSTED EARNINGS OF 18-CENTS A SHARE... UP FROM 15-CENTS A YEAR EARLIER.
THE COMPANY ALSO REPORTED THAT SALES DURING THE QUARTER NARROWLY BEAT WALL STREET'S EXPECTATIONS.

ORACLE HAS UPPED ITS TAKEOVER BID FOR PEOPLE-SOFT.
THE DATABASE SOFTWARE COMPANY *NOW* SAYS IT WILL PAY 26-DOLLARS PER SHARE FOR ITS RIVAL.
THE ALL-CASH OFFER REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF 33 PERCENT TO A PURCHASE PRICE OF ABOUT NINE-POINT-FOUR-BILLION DOLLARS.

[11Calloway]

Charges against a Lynchburg teen accused in a gang-related shooting are headed to a grand jury.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg/December 9]

18-year-old Brandon Calloway was arrested in December after a shooting incident near Lynchburg's Miller Park.
Calloway allegedly fired several shots at 18-year-old Robert Milton but missed.
Milton testified yesterday he and Calloway are in rival gangs and that led to their dispute.
Calloway's facing attempted murder and firearms charges.
(------------)

[11Confed-history]

A lawmaker's attempt to bring back Confederate History Month has failed.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

The Virginia Senate yesterday killed a resolution recognizing April as a time to learn about the state's confederate history.
Black lawmakers called the measure a "slap in the face of African Americans."
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 1:01:19]
[IN Q=CONFEDERATE SYMBOLS SHOULD NOT BE HONORED]
((SENATOR LOUISE LUCAS/D-PORTSMOUTH: CONFEDERATE SYMBOLS SHOULD NOT BE HONORED. THEY ARE CRUEL REMINDERS OF THE GONEBY ERA OF SLAVERY. SENATOR CHARLES HAWKINS/R-CHATHAM: THIS RESOLUTION IS SIMPLY A CONTINUATION OF WHAT GOVERNORS HAVE BEEN DOING. NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS. IT IS NOT MEANT TO OFFEND, IT IS MEANT TO EDUCATE.))
[SUPER=01-Sen. Louise Lucas/(D) Portsmouth; :00]
[SUPER=01-Sen. Charles Hawkins/(R) Chatham; :07]
[RUNS=:21]
[OUT Q=NOT MEANT TO OFFEND, IT IS MEANT TO EDUCATE.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Former Governors George Allen and Jim Gilmore proclaimed Confederate History Month when they were in office.
So far, Governor Mark Warner has not.
(------------)

[6-Pet-Drugs]

The brand names differ.
But many of the medications given to animals are the same ones used on humans.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

In fact, Vetenarian Cinthia Honeycutt says the pet pharmaceutical industry is growing. She says many animals that once had to be put down for medical reasons are now living longer, healthier lives.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:5:32:44]
[IN Q=There are just a lot of new medications that have come out]
((DR. CINTHIA HONEYCUTT/HANGING ROCK ANIMAL HOSPITAL; THERE'S JUST A LOT OF NEW MEDICATION THAT HAVE COME OUT THAT ARE MUCH SAFER FOR ANIMALS THAN SOME THAT HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE. SO YES IT'S DEFINITELY An INDUSTRY THAT'S GROWING AT THIS POINT AND THEY'RE DOING A LOT MORE RESEARCH.))
[SUPER=01-Dr. Cinthia Honeycutt/Hanging Rock Animal Hospital]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=a lot more research]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
There are hundreds of medications on the market for pets -- Nellie is on eight of them. Although she suffers from glaucoma, high blood pressure, arthritis, and kidney disease she is still able to live a comfortable life.
Doctor Honeycutt says most pets will need to take medication at some point in their lives.
(------------)